The Trump administration’s brazen attempt to withhold $10 billion meant to help working families afford child care was blocked Tuesday by a federal judge, allowing the critical funding to continue to flow to affected states and families in need.
The preliminary injunction is a win for AFSCME members and others who sued the administration in January. The funding freeze was aimed at child care and family assistance programs in five states led by Democrats.
"The court’s decision to block the administration’s illegal funding freeze is a major victory for providers, families and the children they serve,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “The AFSCME members who provide essential child care services in these communities can now focus on what they do best: helping children learn and thrive. We’ll continue to fight the administration’s attempts to slash services for working families to pay for more tax cuts for its billionaire backers.”
The lawsuit is ongoing, but Tuesday’s ruling means that federal funding approved by Congress will continue to support child care providers and working families in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York.
AFSCME members submitted testimony in the case, explaining how child care centers would shut down, their employees would be laid off and working parents would lose critical day care services if the funding was denied.
Read more about the lawsuit, AFSCME v. HHS, here.